Annalyse had been missing, presumed kidnaped by the Glasgow kingdom, for four years now. After two years her father, King of Caras, had mysteriously passed away. Many believed Princess Cary had poisoned him, but none dared voice it. Princess Cary vehemently defended her position by spreading lies about Glasgow, claiming that they had killed her family and she was next. Cary had most of the kingdom following her, there were only a few of her father's advisors who were trying to stop her war preparations.
None of this bothered her though, what bothered Queen Cary was the tower. Shortly after her sister's disappearance Prince Jackson had built a tower, standing over 600 feet high. The tower was 150 feet taller than the Caprasian mountains that ran along Glasgow's northernmost border.
At the top of this tower the Prince had a light placed, the light was manned at all times, constantly burning. He claimed that it was in hopes of bringing her lost sister home. Cary smiled to herself, the daemon of Gahole would never, had never, release its captives. Annalyse would never be seen again.
"My lady, pardon the intrusion." A voice says as the door to her warroom, her father's old bedchambers, opened.
"What is it now Sebastian?" Cary snapped, she was sick of the man. Old and grey, he couldn't even hold a sword up.
"The fourth regiment is now ready to march and the fifth and sixth regiments are on standby." He says with a bow.
"That's wonderful news Sebastian…" Cary smiled softly as she watched him fidget, "I think I'll keep you around a while longer after all…"
The old man bowed lower, thanking her for her hospitality before quickly scurrying from the room. Cary knew all too well that her people followed her out of fear and not love or respect. She didn't care, she believed fear was a stronger motivator than respect, and love was a fairytale that had died with her mother.
Cary mentally shook herself, thoughts of her mother always made her sentimental and that made her cry. Crying was something that Cary loathed more than she loathed her doting father and her warrior like sister. She decided then that it was time to begin moving her troops. They would march through Gahole and reach Glasgow in one month or they would be lashed. Cary smiled to herself as she walked briskly down the hall, her shadow flickering in the torchlight.
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"Your majesty please listen to me," the young Caras knight was frantic, he'd rode non-stop for the past week to tell Prince Jackson of the coming war, but the Prince wouldn't listen. Ever since Princess Annalyse and her handmaiden Anna had gone missing in the Gahole woods, Prince Jackson had been distracted. The prince did everything, everything, he could think of. His search never slowed and it certainly didn't stop.
"Your majesty, Queen Cary is… well she isn't quite sane any longer… and she's sworn that she'll have revenge on your house, that she'll destroy the kingdom. Please her troops will be here within the month!"
"Sir!" One of Prince Jackson's knights burst in suddenly, the Prince looked at him, his eyes filled with hope. "Uh… it's not that… Erm… Well Queen Cary's troops are marching through the Gahole woods. They'll be here in under two weeks."
"See?" the young knight said, ignoring the Prince's downcast look at not having received the news he was hoping for. "Queen Cary will destroy the kingdom!"
"Then tell my father…" The prince said softly, moving to look out the window towards the tower he had built. He frequently checked the tower to ensure the light still burned. The tower was his only hope of finding Anna… the love of his life… Prince Jackson, still ignoring the two knights as they left the room, pulled a wrinkled sheet of paper from his pocket. The paper had been folded and refolded several times now, but it still smelled of Marisol flowers.
My Dearest Love,
Princess Annalysse is journeying to the kingdom of Glasgow. I am accompanying her in secret. I have a great surprise for you. We will arrive in Glasgow in a month, please meet me in the Marisol gardens of the castle at midnight.
Love Always,
Anna
The letter arrived three days before the Princess and Anna would have, along with a letter to his father from the Caras King, calling off the wedding between the Prince and his daughter. Prince Jackson wiped a tear away and folded her letter as he remembered the night they had met. He had slipped out of the castle and was meandering through the town when he saw her. She was running from several armed guards, he still doesn't know why or where the guards were from, but as she passed him he took her hand and pulled her down a side alley. Jackson didn't stop running until they were deep within the castle gardens. The girl pulled her hand free of his as they reached the pond and she collapsed next to the beds of Marisol flowers. As she sat there, catching her breath, Jackson was struck by her beauty. Her fiery red hair and jade eyes resembled the flowers that surrounded them, and her pale complexion made her shine.
It took her several minutes before she had caught her breath and introduced herself as Anna. She had said that she was Princess Annalyse's handmaiden, that she was in Glasgow to plan a trip for the Princess. It was then that she asked for his name. He immediately answered Jack, since she didn't know he was the Prince, and he told her that he was Prince Jackson's gardener. That was when she looked around at the Marisols and she confessed that they were her favorite flower.
For the next six years after that Jack sent Anna a bouquet of Marisols every month. They would secretly meet every three months, at first they merely talked. However as the months turned into years, the two fell in love. Two years after they met they shared their first kiss. About three months before they had gone missing, Anna had been ready for something more, and Jack gave her everything he had to give.